Active Pain
by Ririkuto
Summary: What would you do if the girl you liked not only accepted your confession but then the very next day told you to shoot her? Would you do it? LenxZatsune.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Luka why have you called me here?" Len asked rather curiously. Just yesterday he had confessed his feelings to her and she had accepted, making them a couple. Yet now here they were on the roof around six in the afternoon. Len had left his parents to enjoy dinner without him so that he could come meet Luka. She was indeed the love of his life.

"Len...do you love me?"

"Of course, why are you asking me such a trivial question. I conveyed my feelings for you did I not?"

"Indeed you did, but Len do you love me." He didn't understand why she kept asking him that, of course he loved her

"My love for you has no end."

"_Really?_" Luka smiled seemingly intrigued. Then she leant off the railing and turned around to stare at Len her sundress caught the wind and ruffled as she gazed.

"Then shoot me." Lens eyes widened. Why was she asking him to shoot her?

"I cant do that, I don't have a gun." As soon as the sentence left his lips a gun was tossed in his direction, and he picked it up. Still he hesitated, he couldn't possibly shoot Luka, he loved her. They shared a love that had no boundaries, no end.

"Len what are you waiting for?" Slowly his grip tightened and released on the gun, dropping and skidding on the roof floor.

"Pick it up Len, you haven't shot me yet." Her voice was sharp almost threatening, then he had her in his arms gripping tightly onto her.

"Luka stop, you're scaring me with what you're saying, I cant shoot you don't ask something like that." However she did not hug him back, only stayed in his arms.

"Thats unfortunate." There was no emotion in her voice, and she stepped aside. Len tumbled through the emptiness of where once she had been in his arms. Hitting the rail hard he lurched forward far enough to see how far the fall down was, safely though he fell back onto the roof. Standing up he turned around.

"Luka?" Suddenly he was at gun point.

"Sorry Len, you aren't of any use to me."

"W-what are you talking about put that gun down." Lost in all the confusion, and the sound of his ears popping as the gun blew he toppled over the railings that had protected so many students from falling.

And as he fell the last thing he saw of Luka was her turning to leave, a rather sinister smirk on her face. Her hair longer than usual. The pain of being shot lingered as he fell, but the pain of hitting the pavement only lasted a second.

"Hehe, welcome to purgatory Len." A playful voice bit into his bare conscious state.

"Purgatory...? Where is that?"

"Well, its a place in-between." The voice answered giggling at his questions.

"In-between?" He repeated voice slightly trembling.

"Be thankful I am dumbing it down for you." He felt offended and anger suddenly surged through him.

"I am not an idiot! Tell me where I really am! What happened to me where's Luka?" He screamed demanding answers from whomever was speaking to him.

All around him was only dark abyss, spiralling with darkness and frankly he couldn't see a single thing infront of him. Through all of that aspiring darkness though he did hear a rather melodic voice. It was unfamiliar but quite angelic. Someone grabbed his hand and jerked him out into the light. Something hissed as his eyes adjusted to it.

The minute he saw what had been talking to him he was left breathless. Before him holding his hand was an angel but she looked nothing like what books portrayed them as.

Both her wings were midnight black, the same colour as the simple dress she was wearing. Her hair draped along the back of her torso, long and silky. She didn't have that _light as air feel_ as they should have about her. But many drafts of wind made her feathers fly fluttering her hair with them, contradicting his thought.

"This is purgatory." She turned to him, releasing his hand and falling back. "It is a timeless realm beyond the space-time continuum where souls go after death to be purified of their sins committed on earth." Then she sat up placing her hands infront of her "Well, that is what I would tell you if that was _really_ where you were."

She was starting to confuse him, he had heard of purgatory before but he didn't understand what she meant by all of it. Purgatory wasn't a place for angels, but she said that he wasn't in purgatory.

"Why am I in purgatory or wherever this is, and why is an angel here?" He questioned, taking a step closer to this mysterious girl.

"Simple." She smiled tilting her head at his rather bothersome question. Then suddenly her face showed a cold expression and she giggled.

"_Your dead Kagamine Len._"

Dead? This couldn't be true he was standing right infront of her speaking with someone in his own body. He looked down laughing to himself, he wasn't dead he couldn't be dead he had a perfectly good bod-, but there _wasn't_ one. Screaming he tumbled backwards falling onto the cloudy white floors.

But just earlier he had been eating dinner with his family and dating Luka, talking to her on the roof. He covered one side of his face and his breathing picked up until he almost couldn't breathe. Quickly his mind entered a mental breakdown frozen on the floor. That angel had touched him earlier hadn't she? How could he be dead? WHY WAS HE DEAD!? Her voice cut into his thoughts.

"Simple Luka killed you." Laughing after she said it.


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting still, Len stared down at the cloudy sky floors. He couldn't believe what the angel had just told him. Luka the one whom he had loved and longed for so long had killed him. Swiftly and without hesitation had delivered the blow of death to him.

"I…I don't believe you." He stuttered all his words jumbled and broken, slowly and silently spoken. "Luka would never do such a thing to me…she loved me." However he could barely believe his own statement, his own voice was unsure and hesitant.

Getting up the angel stepped closer to him, the presence of the air around her grew ominously dark.

"Ok then," she began crouching down to meet him face to face. "well let me tell you something good. You are not dead this is merely a dream and I'm toying with you for my amusement."

Len looked up hopeful that he wasn't actually dead. He couldn't have died! Just yesterday he was feeding spiced pork from his bento to Luka. He had been happy, so happy. Thank goodness he thought, so thats what the case really was. It was all just a dream, now all he had to do was wake up.

"You didn't let me finish," the angel went on, a rather dark smile crossing her face, one that didn't fit right. But what more could she possibly tell him?

"That's what I would say if that was really the case." Fear stricken he couldn't help but listen intently, there was nowhere to run and he doubted that his legs would take him anywhere. Even if he ran her voice would still reach him so he sat, that's all he could do after all.

"She did love you…, but love is one of the deadliest deceptions. Isn't it fun to _love_, _she had you wrapped around her finger so tightly you didn't even see it coming did you? _Now think about it, I have absolutely no reason to lie to you, now do I Len?"

Shivering goosebumps formed on the surface of his skin, though they felt a lot deeper than skin deep. He couldn't deny that her reason was true what was to gain from lying to a dead man?

"Of course with that alone you still won't believe me will you? Lets relive it shall we." Relive…that word was scarier than the truth she spoke, and he found himself in a familiar setting…ontop of the school roof. He was able to move around, and then out of the door came himself, behind him Luka appeared. Thats when he saw everything, heard every word and witnessed every treachery. He watched himself tumble over the railing and heard the sickening smack of his own body hit the pavement. His surroundings returned to him, he was back in purgatory.

"Was that enough evidence for you? We can watch it however many times you like or _how many times it takes for you to get it_." The angels voice rang in his head but her lips had not moved.

"I wanna go back…please allow me to live again." His voice finally bit into the conversation.

"The world you lived in is no longer there." The angel stared, her red eyes locked on Len's blue ones.

"I don't care, send me back." He asked again.

"Len I would like to ask you to clear your mind, anger and rage isn't the immediate answer."

"_Send me back_." Len repeated, venom in his voice. The tone was assertive one that was not going to repeat itself again.

"Fine." The angel gave in "But do you really trust someone you do not know." Standing up he turned his back to her.

"Then you can tell me who you are and whats going on while your at it."

"Well, I guess you could say it's a sort of game down below. The person that gains the strongest weapon wins and will have the right of rule, Simple as that."

"So I'll have to fight my way to her?"

"Guess so." The angel giggled as she answered him.

"Perfect." He could feel a smile creeping across his face as he imagined getting his revenge on Luka. The angel couldn't see his face but she could tell his clear view. Then a thought came to him.

"Hey I hate to ask but you'll help me right? Angels can't kill though right?"

"Who said I was an angel?" She smiled politely before pressing her teeth down on her tongue.

It might have been better to ask what she really was but if she was going to help him why did it matter. The fact that she could infact get him where he needed to go and assist him with his goal was good enough for him.

"Just think of me as a little black dragon. Not large enough to wreak havoc though." Flipping her hair back looking quite unhappy with what she just finished saying. With just a few steps she reached him, and he saw an eternal burning in her eyes. Upon blinking they returned to a glassy red, caging away her amber embers. Reaching out, she yanked him towards her, what she was grabbing onto he didn't know but she was unbelievably close to him

"The you that lived a happy school life is dead Len, do you understand what you're getting into?" Her voice was challenging, threatening even, as to reconsider and really think things through before taking any action. Obviously she didn't know him well enough for he never reconsidered things and very rarely ever thought things through. He smirked

"Are you trying to make me change my mind?"

"Never." The girl innocently posed continuing to smile somewhat more sinisterly, reaching up and stroking his cheek. "Really I don't care if you went down there and slaughtered everyone in your sight. You're interesting Len I've been so very bored, for so many centuries. You will entertain me if I go with you...right?" Taking her hand he kissed it.

_"Of course."_ And with that they were gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Looking at all the rubble and abandoned land Len would have never guessed where he was.

"Zatsune?" He called out. His voice not sounding as sure kill and courageous as before. But that of a child that did not know where he was going or headed. Left alone to roam an unfamiliar territory much like a store full of strangers.

No voice answered him, and as he surveyed his surroundings she was nowhere. Had she left him? No, that wasn't possible she couldn't have just left...could she have? She had promised him a glorious revenge. Exhaling Len closed his eyes. There was no way Zatsune would have just left, she had also wanted to destroy. Something in her eyes had told him so, he knew. Thus he placed trust in her. She would return to him after long, in the meantime he could begin his search.

Running as close as he could he scaled the terrain pushing his way up the hill. Though there was a city nearby it was empty and painfully silent, it seemed to just be becoming dawn. However it sure didn't _look_ like it was dawn. The sky was covered in thick black clouds higher up, and the air was so tainted to the point where it almost wasn't breathable.

The place where there had once stood vacant lots, houses, stores and a school building, the city itself. Was now a sea of greyish brown rubble including; twisted metal, broken boards, snapped bricks, and shattered concrete as well as glass. _Wreckage_.

"No way..." He began examining the damage from the hill he had been standing on overlooking everything. Even with all the damage there were a few landmarks...well, traces of landmarks that he recognized immediately even when they were destroyed.

Even the hill he was on was nothing but a scorched heap. Whatever had set the fire to it had burned all the way down into the flesh of the rock. There was no grass or even dirt, just burnt rock. If he was planning to wreak havoc he must do it elsewhere.

He didn't even bother head into the city, all that was left was emptiness. No common city sounds, the honking of horns, the tires of cars, the running of engines. All the people were surely gone or dead and he didn't rule out the possibility that his parents must also be among...the wreckage.

Surprisingly he felt nothing at the thought. He most certainly _should_ have been scared and sad or even worried about them. But nothing came which didn't even bug him. Maybe his past self would have cared and cried but now he felt paralyzed to those emotions. Just a bit of anger appeared, the shock had subsided, this mess was another reason to end Luka.

He felt the sudden urge to break something but like he had already deducted, there was nothing left to break. Anything he tried would most certainly just turn to ash as soon as he picked it up.

"Looks like we missed the party." He heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Where did you go?" He asked Zatsune as she settled for a seat on the rock beside him.

"I went for a head start." She smirked but it didn't last and she frowned as if she had been denied that privilege. He took a seat next to her.

"So what was down there?"

"Are you kidding me?" She scoffed. "Nothing! The sun doesn't even reach down there so I was basically walking around in the dark. Which brought me no end of fun." He picked up the sarcasm, she turned towards him.

"Dont believe me? You can go look." Taking note of his raised eyebrow.

"No, I believe you." He clearly had seen it for himself up high earlier. The desolate earth crying out to be healed and the citizens to return to it. Its call would only be in vain though, since he had also planned to destroy it.

"I'm just taking it in a bit more...I think." His voice had not trembled, it was back to its original tone. When just earlier he had been unsure. Maybe he just needed to have Zatsune beside him.

Eyeing her now her hair seemed to be a darker shade of black than before, probably thanks to the lighting.

"So what's the plan?" She asked braiding a strand of hair.

"First things first, this is my city right?"

"I thought we already established this Len." Sighing as she finished the sentence.

It being what he had thought it had been, he knew it already but only wanted further clarification.

"What's the plan?" She repeated a lot more assertively this time looking quite agitated.

"There is no plan, obviously. I came down here to break everything until I found Luka."

"Well, that failed."

"Thanks for clarifying what I couldn't already see." She stuck her tongue out at him and then he was under her. She wasn't heavy but her grip was firm, like iron.

"_You promised me fun Len_." She hissed. He could feel her fingernails boring into his skin, they went deeper the more she waited. "This isn't fun at all! Not even mildly interesting."

"You will have it." He started, wincing as one finger slowly dug in a little. "But what use am I if I'm dead before that?" She let up.

"I wasn't gonna kill you...there are…reasons I can't, not that I would." She said crossing her arms over her chest like it was unfair. Truthfully, he was sure she enjoyed his company to some extent.

"Besides," She began pointing a finger at him.

"You already had your share of death recently." He shoved her off during her fit of laughter and she hit the rocky ground hard. It didn't affect her.

"Before you make jokes think of a way for us to get into the city." He snapped, eyebrows narrowing.

"What was that?" She asked sitting up looking attentive as if she had heard a voice. He payed her no mind.

"About the city, the only way were getting into it is if an official comes to get us."

"Why an official?" Len asked, she drew a line across her neck. That was good enough clarification for him.

Having no way into the city meant that, they would have to wait for an official to come find them. Otherwise well...

"I heard that they aren't even trusting locals and security is tight."

"So were stuck then?" He stated.

"Basically." This time she didn't laugh, but seemed to be focusing hard on something in the distance. Her ruby eyes flashed a fiery amber and she pointed to it. A sinister smirk on her face.

Off in the distance a person was running towards them, as fast as they could apparently. Yelling something at them. They were still a good distance away which means he had time to think of a story. This person was most likely taking survivors to the city, an official.

"Hey are you all right!?" The person shouted from a distance. What would they think if they saw Len in his uniform? It had to be what he would be wearing, since he had died in it. The person finally reached him.

Immediately she stripped off her bright green poncho the only real colour he had seen in the last few minutes, other than Zatsune's eyes of course. She tossed it to him.

"I don't really need this I'm dressed." Len told her.

"Dressed? You'll freeze if you don't wear it." Looking down all he had on was a ripped up looking black shirt and shaggy pants tied with a rope, completed with a crappy pair of sandals.

Dirt covered his hands, arms and clothes. How Zatsune had done it he didn't know but he smirked, this was perfect to match his story. Like a good boy he put on the poncho and his voice took care of the rest.

He was instructed to follow closely behind the girl as she had asked. Seemed like she was alone, maybe she ran the searches by herself now.

"So you only escaped alone?" The blonde haired girl asked him. She was slightly shorter than him and her blonde hair only came to mid-neck length.

"Yeah, I was searching for my family but..." He allowed his voice to trail off.

"I see, we did have rescue parties out but they only found so many..." Her voice also trailed off. "Do you remember anything? About the incident I mean?"

"Not what happened exactly but when I woke up I felt I had to find my parents immediately...I just felt it. My head was bleeding so I assume I got hit pretty hard." The girl stopped and turned to him looking skeptical.

"How exactly did you find your family?" He avoided eye contact with her and instead looked down.

"Crushed by debris..."

"I see..." The girl repeated again nodding at his story. "I hope you wont bear hatred towards the queen or me."

He noticed her hand gripped the handle of her sword. Was there something wrong with his story? Had his cover been blown already? The answer to his doubts were soon answered after he had asked them.

The girl held him tightly in her arms, in a way that seemed was meant to comfort.

"I'm so sorry for your loss we tried so hard..." He felt her shoulders violently shaking, she was sobbing. Who exactly this hug was comforting, it was definitely not him. Obviously she must have been the army head and the amount of people who had died or lost someone was taking a toll on her.

"It's okay to cry, I won't blame you. When we get back to the city I'll take care of everything." She went on followed by more sobbing on her part. Len held her closer to him burying her head into his shoulder. She held him closer in response.

His shoulders also happened to be shaking violently. _Not, because he was crying of course._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Look we're almost at the city how much longer are you going to make me carry you?" Len complained adjusting Zatsune on his back as they walked another few kilometres forward.

"Till we are there I detest walking you know." She smirked, pressing down harder on him becoming all the more heavy. He didn't struggle under the weight.

"People are going to think I'm delusional, get off and walk. You can fly can't you?" Len whispered trying not to let the blonde official hear him. So far she hadn't even bothered looking back. _Blonde official_ was his name for her at the moment, since she still hadn't told him her name. She only boldly told him to follow behind her and they would be at the city in no time.

"How dare you!" Zatsune retorted "I brought you back to life show some respect!" She hollered, bearing down more weight on him. In all honesty she was rather light, as a feather in fact. Carrying her wasn't even a chore, he just didn't feel like doing it.

"I helped you even after you died in such a pathetic way." She added to her earlier shout. Resting her hands on his shoulders.

Len gritted his teeth, not only was that offensive but extremely unfair. _He was betrayed,_ else he would have died doing something cool.

In his opinion death by your own girl friend was rather original. A lot more original than something like dying from being shot, or dying by falling.

Then again he _was shot, had fallen and hit the pavement fracturing his skull._ _Still_ it wasn't pathetic, that had stung a bit.

It was very tempting to just throw her off, so he did just that. Stopped for a second, leant backwards and dumped Zatsune off him. Not like she could kill him and he knew she wouldn't risk losing their only ticket into the city. The only place where she could wreak havoc on something that was still standing. Unlike his home town.

"What-What's your problem!? How dare you drop me! You're working under me remember!" She shouted from where she had fallen, he had dropped her right on her behind.

"I'm working under you? You're the one that can't kill me. For certain reasons if I recall. So who's in charge here? Besides you want to get into the city as bad as I do, and I doubt that you'll do anything to ruin that plan otherwise." His remark was sure kill, Zatsune sat stunned and silent. Then she yelled, tossed and turned around on the ground, then sat up. He had seemed to hit the spot.

Bitterly she walked beside him, arms crossed.

"So you can walk on your own?" He said voice dripping with sarcasm trying not to speak loud. She shot him a glacially cold glare, one he was sure would freeze someone one day.

"_You better watch it Len."_ She growled. For a millisecond he was unable to move but it passed.

"I don't need to watch anything. Now move those legs of yours." He bit back, hiding his second of fear. Something in her eyes flickered to life. As if she could sense the bit of fear, he didn't like it.

"I'd kill you." Zatsune hissed. "But someone already got a head start on me, right?"

With that she smirked, and proceeded to childishly stick her tongue out at him. Gripping her sides tightly laughing. Rather hysterically too, as if she had just heard the funniest joke known to man. The joke was all too clear; Len Kagamine.

Quickly Zatsune walked ahead of him lurking next to Rin.

It seemed that others could not see her, either that or they were seriously ignoring her. Which was a very small possibility at this point. It was hard to miss well…_her._ She stood out rather clearly. Her black abyss shade of a hair color, that seemed would swallow anyone that touched it besides her. All the silky dark locks flowing their way down her back, perfectly untangled, and never fading for a second.

Her ruby red eyes that burned such an intense eternal amber. As if channeling a fierce fire in their depths. Never once had she slouched but always stood strong and tall, ready to fight. Yet along with her thick, long eyelashes, smooth pale completion, full pink lips, high cheek bones, and tall lean body. She managed to look so fragile. But looks are deceiving, as he now knew.

Looking around there really was nothing left. Whatever had happen in the short time he had died really had taken a toll on everything.

All the ground was split, cracked dry and barren. As if a major drought had taken it's toll, and erosion had come promising toll that it would take care of the rest. The dirt was only two colours now. Burnt mahogany red, or pitch black.

Not all the sky was the colour of his used-to-be-town, it was better out here in the seeming countryside. It was quite blue. Blue, but the weather was not sunny. The air was clean at least.

In the faint distance Len heard a sound, it was not a bad sound, infact it sounded like…water. Sounds of the sloshing water, and rolling waves. The smell of seawater ran amok, stinging his nostrils. Up ahead Zatsune had stopped and was watching something.

Turning around she looked at Len, pointing downwards. Below the cliff was a dock leading out to the ocean. Docked below was an enormous cargo ship, still loaded with plenty of crated cargo.

The ship was exceptionally new. No tattered remnants of sails, broken twisted metal, rustic gapping holes, or shattered creaking wood. No wreckage like how things had been in the city. The sea water lapped gently against it's white coating. The ship as extensive as it was still somehow managed to look invitingly comfortable.

The blonde official turned towards Len, noticing him observing and examing the ship below them.

"We're almost at the city all we need to do is set out." She said, looking at him. Len had a few questions for the official. Like why she had such a huge ship for just herself. It was another question that answered it self though.

Deeming that this official was a kind person, who empathized with everyone she met. Providing them with whatever they would need. She would have prepared extra space, clothes, and supplies just in case she found survivors. Overpacking for the best case scenario. On the boat he would ask more questions. Both to make conversation and gather information.

Then a new problem arised, how exactly did she mean to get on the boat. It was way below in the docks, and they were up on the cliff.

"Ready to go?" The blonde official asked Len.

"Uh, yeah." He replied. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Sorry, I was just thinking about…"

"How we're going to get down there?" She said taking the words right out of his mouth.

Len nodded, waiting for his question to be answered.

As quick as he had thought it, he was off his feet with one swift lift from the official. She carried him bridal style as she leapt from the cliff.

The air whipped past them during their quick decent. Upon nearing the deck the blonde official snapped her fingers setting Len down when they landed safely in one piece on the boat.

A yellow mist dispersed itself away from her feet, it was a light yellow. Blending with air as it left.

"You all right?" She asked walking her way over to the control panel, flicking a few switches and buttons. Len followed and watched.

"How did you do that?" He asked staring at her. If there was an explanation for how she did that he wanted it. If he could do that, and somehow use it against others, he wanted to know.

"I'm sorry, I can't discuss that...but if you have any other questions..." This time her voice trailed off.

How could this be he thought, analyzing the situation. Len bit his lip, he _needed_ more than wanted to know how the official had done it. Unfortunately, she was keeping it under lock and key. It must me confidential information. One she as an official strictly wasn't allowed to give out.

There was possibly a reason to this, as she was being quite tight lipped all of a sudden. He couldn't just give up, not while answers were at stake. There had to be a way to get her to speak.

Then Len smirked slightly, earlier she had shown him a weakness, one he would exploit to get his answers. _All of his answers._

Slowly he took a step back, eyeing the official. As if he had seen something inhuman, something wrong and different, something awful that he didn't want to get help from. _Petrified, scared, horrified._ Purposely he tripped over himself as he backed up to add to the effect. To this the official reached her hand out to him. He waited two seconds before speaking.

"Why can't you tell me...w-what are you...?" He purposely stuttered out. The official thrusted her hand out more, stepping closer. Urging him to take it, but he wouldn't. He knew.

"It…it's not important you're safe now aren't you? Please just take my hand-" He slapped her hand away.

"_Don't touch me!"_ To this she backed up, placing hand over hand looking hurt. Scared of what might happen to him without her help. What would happen next.

Len dipped his head, tilting it downwards hiding his face. She had probably seen so many die, so many just as scared of her as he was pretending to be. So many do insane things they wouldn't normally have done if she wasn't there. Some that would prefer death to getting assistance from a freak. He hid his face, his smile. If it all went according to plan...

"I'm sorry..." The official mumbled. "but I won't hurt you I promise. So please just follow me and listen okay." Her voice was a plead now.

"How do I know I can trust you? I don't even know your name and you just did that..._that thing._" Len admitted, he did have a valid point. She bit her lip but still dared to take a step forward. So Len sprung to action.

He pushed himself up off the floor and threw himself against the boat rail. Rocking and almost tumbling overboard. It was all for show. The girl reached for him. It was as if she had seen this all before literally happen right before her eyes.

"NO!" She screamed grabbing onto his wrist "Please, I'll tell you everything you need. Just let me take you back to the city...alive. I-I don't wanna see anymore deaths."

Len relaxed himself, standing up straight.

"How do I know I can trust what you say?"

"Please..." she begged staring up into his eyes. As he stared back they were rather red.

"Okay, but our deal is you tell me _everything,_ and I mean _anything_ I want you to. All of it will be the truth, you understand. Else I throw myself off this boat." She nodded releasing his arm. Taking a few steps she returned to the control panels. She flipped a final switch and the boat lurched forward, beginning to move in the direction of their destination. A familiar laughter filled the space behind him.

"You're pretty heartless now, don't you think Len?" Zatsune said materializing behind him. He waved her off.

"Look, I don't care who I need to use. I'm getting to Luka, and I'll get my answers before I end her life with these hands of mine. I promised myself that much." He finished gripping and ungripping, closing and opening his palms. Turning them over and examining them as if they were foreign to him.

_"I will, mark my words."_ He could feel the anger boiling up within him. Collecting together and burning in his core. Hatred from within. Zatsune placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a little shove forward.

"Thats the spirit!" She giggled "I'll be right behind you." Len nodded, making his way over to the Captain's room.

On the far side of the room were chairs. In one of the two chairs was the official, she sat staring at her hands. She looked up when he entered.

"You...I assume you want your answers now, am I right?" Len intruded further, closing the door behind him. The official looked bothered for someone with such a high position. As if she would crack if someone pushed her enough, she was already close to the edge. Her eyes were red from crying, dark circles formed under her eyes from sleep depravity.

"Well, yes," he began saying. There was no doubt he wanted them right away, however he might as well ask her how she was, with her looking like that. He felt heartless, however that didn't mean he was...completely.

Hopefully she would spill some interesting things that would be skipped otherwise if he went straight for the answers.

"How are you holding up? I mean I haven't exactly been in the center of the action. That and you don't look so good." He smiled sitting in the opposing chair of her. Zatsune lingered behind the chair, just in case.

"Everything is chaos." She started eyes locked on her hands again.

"Let's start over you and I." Len said smiling. "What's your name?"

The official looked up, her eyes a hopeful yet bloodshot blue. She smiled weakly at him.

"Rin, my name is Rin."

"Rin huh." He repeated rolling the name around on his tongue. "My name is Len."

"It's nice to meet you Len." He nodded in agreement. Rin shifted in her seat.

"I'm sorry you have to wake up to all this Len." She apologized bowing her head.

"No need to apologize, this is what the world is now right?" Rin looked away focusing on a spot of the ceiling for a second before responding.

"Psh, yeah this is what the world is. Freaks, corrupt Nobles with power, and lots of people killing each other. Saying they don't deserve to live, deciding they're rotten and locking them away in jail, lying to others. Who exactly is rotten in all of this? I can't even trust my own friends anymore." The welled up tears began to stream, and flow down her cheeks.

Sympathetically Len reached out touching her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" He asked searching for the answer in her expression. The only one he found was that things were desolate, her face said so. As if she had been drained of all blood.

"I meant what I said but I really shouldn't tell you anymore..." Rin spoke the words coming out hoarse, as if they had been grated out a dry throat.

"You said you can't trust your friends right? Then why not rely on me? I mean I don't know anything that's happening so I can't possibly be corrupt. That and you cried on me." Len offered, it was sincere but he also had his hidden motive.

This girl really seemed she needed to talk. To someone, a person that wasn't like the others, a possible friend. She stared at him for a while, then finally conjured up the courage to speak.

"Everyone is raiding each other, killing each other for no reason, and the Nobles aren't even doing anything about it. My searches were deemed illegal as head commander, and I was told to stay by the princesses side. To protect her at all costs. Meanwhile there are people like you still trapped and dying under all the debris." Rin finished her confession with more sobs, endless sobs.

Len put an arm around her "Hey...hey, cheer up. Things...could get better."

"That's where you're wrong, things won't get better. You even said it yourself. This is how the world is now. It won't get better. Countries, states. They're all divided amongst themselves. It's a war zone." Len stopped her, what had she just said? He needed to know more about what was going on with states being divided.

"Why are they divided? Are there separate rulers?" Len asked, sounding rather intrigued. Rin sniffled wiping her cheeks of tears.

"Yeah were divided into five states, made up of several independent countries. Each state has a ruler, why?"

"I just want a detailed description so I have an idea of how things are. You know..." He mumbled feeling Zatsune leaning forward on the chair, listening to it all.

"So the citizens? What's their situation?" Len pressed wondering where his standings would be.

"Citizens can go anywhere in places their rulers own, but trying to cross into another state is a death sentence." Len nodded gritting his teeth. If he ever needed to enter other states he would have to think of a different plan or course of action.

"Hey, Len..." Rin mumbled barely audible. She stared straight into his eyes this time searching him for answers. It was a short search as she returned her attention to her hands.

"Do you perhaps still want to know about earlier?" For a second he stared quizzically at her till he realized what she meant.

"The yellow mist...?" He asked.

"Yeah, I could tell you as thanks for listening to me. Taking all this weight off my shoulders." Subtlety Len nodded, finally ready for the main course of their conversation.

Rin left her hands in plain sight and snapped her fingers on the left hand. The same misty yellow waves radiated from around her feet. This time up close Len could see the glowing initial mark, along with a crest that resembled volume controls with an arrow piercing through it.

It was glowing a vibrant electrical light yellow. The same misty color as the mist.

"What the hell is that..." Len managed the words to escape his mouth.

"The Kaizer mark." Rin answered.

"Kaizer?" He repeated.

"Yeah, it stands for Known Artificial Inhuman Zero-Energy Radiation. Kaizer for short."

"What genius came up with that acronym? What does that even mean?" Len scoffed skeptically. The acronym didn't even make sense.

"Honestly, thats just what we call it there isn't really any hidden message behind it. All I know is that some people have it and others don't."

"Really? So there are others?" Len questioned leaning in closer to Rin.

"Yeah," she replied "so far I've been lucky enough not to run into any of them though."

Len leaned back in his chair, glancing up at Zatsune who seemed rather bored, unlike he himself who was very much intrigued. So intrigued he couldn't stop himself from asking more questions. He needed to find out as much as he could about the Kaizer mark as well as if he could get one himself.

"So, how is it possible to get this power?" Len asked yet again leaning forward in his chair. Staring Rin directly in her eyes. She looked him up and down as if he was insane. As if he had asked a question of a potentially mad man. Then sadly she looked away.

"Len, you still don't know what I am do you...?" She said in a woeful tone, grabbing hold of her wrist, covering the crest and not letting go. Len tilted his head.

"No, I don't should I?" He wondered if he had just given his cover away, it was something he couldn't afford.

"I see..." She mumbled words losing their sound near the end. "I had a feeling..."

Len stiffened in his seat. He must have definitely given his cover away, why else would Rin be acting this way? He had to ready himself for a fight, if one was coming. He would have to take Rin out if she was to compromise his plan of revenge on Luka.

Suddenly a bright light shone from beneath Rin's hand covering the crest. Slowly she stood up, throwing her hand out far leftwards. Somehow she was grabbing onto thin air, as if something invisible was in her hand.

The air around her hand distorted, the blinding yellow light glowing around the invisible object. Building its way up, slowly revealing, un-pixilating the object. Sharply she pivoted her right foot to face her left, using both hands to grip the now visible object.

The light stopped glowing as it restricted itself back to Rin's crest and the swirling mist around her feet.

Len sat baffled, where nothing had once been Rin held a rather large weapon in her grasp. As if the light had built the weapon in her hands...out of absolutely nothing. Carrying the weapon, a strap keeping support over her shoulder, she turned to face him.

He couldn't bring forth any words as he stared at her. He had just witnessed something that had defied the laws of physics. No, he shook his head. He was still witnessing the defiance of physics. True he had gone far from normal before but _this_ was just...

"Len..." Rin finally spoke staring him back directly in the eyes. "I'm a weapon."

Never had Len felt his eyes go wide to such an extent.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Len stared widely at Rin. Registering all the things she had just told him, in addition to what he knew. He focused hard, trying to think of an excuse or explanation to describe the things she'd told him, and what he was seeing. It was a futile effort though, for he was no longer in his world.

This new world interrupted the very laws of physics. Disturbed all aspects of science in every way shape and form he could think of. Maybe other laws and observations didn't apply here. For all he knew fire could put out water in this realm. There were many more things that the realm defied. Anything could be possible.

He couldn't see why not. So far it seemed strange enough to. And coming to this conclusion, if it turned out to be true; he wouldn't be surprised, not in the least.

Zatsune hadn't lied when she said his world no longer existed. However, that brought up a new question. Where exactly had his universe gone? It couldn't have just disappeared. He frowned in his thought. A whole universe can't just disappear overnight. It just didn't make sense. He wouldn't be able to settle until his mind conjured up an explanation for the phenomenon. The only logical explanation would be if his world hadn't disappeared, but he'd been moved.

"Len..., you aren't from here are you?" Rin asked watching him quizzically. Staring straight into him and his own truth at the core. He had a choice to make. Either tell the truth, or keep his cover. Both were risky; none appealed to him. Such a crucial decision would be detrimental to his well being, and his entire revenge surrounding Luka. If he slipped up now...

"You really aren't are you?" Rin asked, slipping away to another side of the room. He could tell she was still listening to him. Though she'd turned her back, he could tell she still expected an answer. Len stood up but Zatsune stayed resting on the back of the chair.

Her smile was wide, amazingly amused at the sudden turn of events. She'd probably enjoy any kind of brick thrown in his way, and laugh at all his suffering. She was mostly there to receive entertainment. Though she'd tagged along, there wasn't a solid vow to help or tell Len who were and weren't weapons. He realized that now, when he had asked her to help him, she hadn't given him a solid yes. Or promised for that matter. Though he'd asked for her assistance she in no way shape or form was actually obligated to oblige. Nor did she seem like the kind to enjoy doing so.

Maybe things _had_ been going a little too smoothly. Len shot her an annoyed glare, quick and subtle before he turned his full attention to Rin.

"Rin, that's really hurtful...I," Len choked up "I lost my family. Do you know what I'm going through?" He feigned a pained look. As if he had received the most hurtful insult.

What he had said was not a lie. He had indeed lost his family, but felt nothing of it. He dismissed the thought just as fast as a child moved onto the next best toy. This way, possibly he could avoid detection. It was and wasn't deception. If telling the truth made him unable to reach Luka, he would lie. Whatever it took, he'd do it.

"I apologize if my reply wasn't immediate...but you must understand."

"I'm so sorry Len..." she'd turned around to look at him. "It's just...I had my suspicions, and you knew so little about what's going on."

"Well, you weren't completely wrong..." He didn't know why it left his mouth, but for some reason it did. He only hoped it would lead him in the direction he was heading for.

From the look on Rin's face he could tell she was taking the information in.

"I knew it..." Surprisingly she didn't raise her weapon against him or report him. He detected no hostility in her, she simply smiled at him. "Thanks for telling me the truth Len." He turned the other way, silently regretting the decision but not reconsidering it.

"Well, you know now, so I expect you to make up for it by helping me." To his surprise she nodded sharply. Not slowly as if she was unsure about it, but sharply. That's when he turned around, facing her. He walked over to her, setting his hands on the dresser behind her so that they were close. Their faces were close and he could see the sliver of red in her cheeks.

"Rin, we're making a promise okay?" she nodded. "Promise me that first you won't tell anyone, and that you will do anything I tell you. Remember that earlier promise on the boat deck?" He moved closer and spoke into her ear, she seemed to shudder at his warm breath. It wasn't an uncomfortable shudder. "That was one of the many things I'll need you to do for me." Slowly he trailed one hand off the dresser and intwined it with Rin's.

"I'm trusting you Rin, and I need you, more than you know. You're my life line now." He backed away from her, witnessing the effect he had on her. He smirked, for someone who was a main head, she was rather shy and nervous, possibly smitten even. Len was neither blind or dumb. He knew he had good looks, ones that he could use to easily charm girls. Still, prey that fell in love with its predator..._intriguing_. He spotted the bathroom nearby, just shortly across from them. A shower was a pleasant idea.

Whatever kind of army general she was, it didn't matter. As long as she became his. As long as he could get ahold of her and she became his weapon. No doubt she was well informed, therefore useful. He wasn't just interested in her being a weapon, along with all the other things she could offer him. He smiled at her.

"I'm going to use the shower. I do feel grimy after all." Rin's face was back to it's sorrowful state. Len brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. Just like he'd expected she didn't move away or tense. She only gazed into his eyes.

"I'd like a change of clothes if possible," Len said. She nodded but never broke eye contact with him. Len stepped away and began walking over to the bathroom. Momentarily he stopped in the door frame. "Oh and Rin," she seemed to perk up at his voice. "Cheer up, I'm with you now." He flashed another brilliant smile at her before disappearing into the bathroom. Once inside he closed and locked the door behind him. Zatsune was already inside when he turned back around. She began clapping slowly infront of him.

"Quite a show Len, quite a show." She still had a rather large smile plastered on her face. "Don't you think that was risky? Telling the truth back there." Len stripped off the torn shirt he was wearing and paused before removing anything else.

"Trust me Zatsune, I know what I'm doing. She's useful to us and if she proves out not to be-"

"I have to get rid of her?" Zatsune finished his sentence before he could. Len didn't even have to nod for her to get the message. He watched her smile become a smirk of darkness. "With pleasure." He heard her stand up and make her way over to the door.

"So all that earlier about her being important and meaning a lot to you-" This time he cut her off.

"Was fake, all fake. You and I know very well that my only concern is getting to Luka." He leaned over the tub with his hands on the ledges. Even with the slight distance between them Zatsune's laughed reached him. It was beautiful, but beautifully dark. Like a harp with a demonic twist.

"Let's hope you stay this amusing Len Kagamine." And then the room echoed with the silence of his presence alone. Luka was his only concern, the only person he truly needed to seek out. He'd been granted another chance with this second existence of his. This time he wouldn't make mistakes. He wouldn't distract himself with foolish humanly pleasures. No love, lust, or desires, this time it was all business.


End file.
